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School finance
12 articles
Financial monitoring & reporting
- Academy Trust Handbook: changes from September 2021 The Academies Financial Handbook has been refreshed and renamed. There are no major changes, but you should still be familiar with what’s different in the new handbook. Use our summary to get up to speed.
- Financial transparency: upcoming requirements for maintained schools If you're in a maintained school, get up to speed with the changes to financial regulations coming into effect in 2021 so you can monitor compliance.
- How to interrogate a finance report Read our step-by-step guide to interrogating the finance report so you're clear on what the numbers mean, what to look out for and what questions to ask your school business manager in your finance committee meeting.
- How to monitor and scrutinise the coronavirus catch-up premium Be clear on how you can go about monitoring the catch-up premium for the 2020/21 academic year. Find out what questions to ask to scrutinise your school’s use of the funding, so you’re assured the money is well spent.
- How to monitor your school's pupil premium report Learn about the changes to your school's pupil premium reporting requirements for 2021-22, and see examples of other schools' published strategy statements.
- How to use financial benchmarking Get a handle on how to use the DfE's financial benchmarking website, so you can see how your school compares with others and ask your school business manager the right kinds of questions.
- Monitoring school finance: an overview Financial oversight is one of the governing board's core functions. Get more detail on what your board's key responsibilities are, and learn what financial oversight means in practice, so you can monitor effectively.
- Pupil premium: ensuring value for money How can we monitor pupil premium spending? We relay guidance from one of our associate experts on how governors can monitor pupil premium spending. We also link to information and tools from Ofsted to help monitor the funding, and a case study from FASNA.
- Pupil premium spending: report to governors Know what info to look out for in pupil premium reports from your school, so you can effectively monitor spending.
- Risk registers: summary and guidance Don't know your risk register from your risk assessment? Understand what needs to be included and who has responsibility for the register.
- Schools Financial Value Standard (SFVS): summary and questions to ask Maintained schools must complete the SFVS annually. Here's a rundown of what it covers and how you're involved. Also, find out what questions you can ask your school leaders to make sure your school meets good financial standards.
- The third core function: overseeing financial performance All governors have a part to play in monitoring school finance. Get a concise overview of what your role is and what you're monitoring, so you can make sure money's well spent.
2 articles
Generating income & fundraising
- Funds and freebies: monthly highlights See the latest deadlines for funding opportunities. You'll also find a selection of the grants available to schools across a range of areas, and details of freebies you can access. Plus, a round up of free support and resources to help during coronavirus.
- Governors' role in generating income for schools Just like every other aspect of school operations, school finances are being deeply affected by the coronavirus crisis. Learn how to help your school generate income and find some potential solutions for raising much-needed funds.
13 articles
School budget & expenditure
- Approving the budget: questions to ask (finance committee) Know what questions to ask school leaders when you're scrutinising the budget (including considerations as a result of coronavirus), so you cover all angles before passing the budget on to the full governing board for approval.
- Approving the budget: questions to ask (full board) Know what questions to ask your finance committee before you vote on the school budget (including considerations as a result of coronavirus), so you can be sure that the budget has been scrutinised properly.
- Coronavirus: how your budget is affected Get up to speed on the current school finance landscape so you know what government support is available and what financial challenges your school might be facing.
- Efficient staffing budgets How can our school be more efficient with the staffing budget? The largest proportion of any school’s budget will be spent on staffing, so we look at how schools can achieve best value for money. We relay expert advice and refer to government guidance on how you might do this.
- Governors and trustees supplying schools with goods or services Find out how to manage conflicts of interest if you’re purchasing a governor's goods or services. If you're an academy trust, you also have to manage related party transactions.
- How to monitor and scrutinise the budget in finance committee meetings Find out what to do before your finance committee meetings and use our questions to help you scrutinise the budget throughout the year. It's a long read, but it'll help you go through your budget with a fine-tooth comb.
- Local governing bodies (LGB): how to monitor value for money Be clear on how you can go about monitoring value for money in your school if you’ve been delegated this responsibility.
- Local governing bodies: your role in school finance and budgets Get an idea of how you might be involved in school finance, like the budget setting process, regardless of how much delegated power you have.
- Pupil premium: spending Know what your role is in monitoring pupil premium spending, and get up to speed with the rules on what it should and shouldn't be spent on.
- Refusing to approve the school budget This is a serious decision. Understand the different situations where your governing board might refuse to approve the budget, and what you can do next if this happens.
- The budget approval process in maintained schools Find out how this process works so you're clear on the different steps and how you'll be involved.
- The budget approval process in MATs The budget approval process can vary from trust to trust. Use these examples to get an idea of what the process might look like in your multi-academy trust, where you could be involved and what you'd need to do.
- The budget approval process in single academies Get an idea of what your budget approval process might look like, so you're clear on when you're involved and what you need to do.
12 articles
School funding
- Coronavirus: catch-up premium cheat sheet Understand how the coronavirus catch-up premium will be allocated, what your school can use the funding for (including the National Tutoring Programme) and your role in holding school leaders to account for how the premium is spent.
- Devolved formula capital (DFC) funding Devolved formula capital (DFC) is a source of capital funding for maintained schools and academies. Learn about how it's allocated and the rules your school needs to follow when spending it.
- Free school meals: how are they funded? Mainstream schools should use their core budget allocations to provide FSM to pre-16 pupils, but the government has also introduced a FSM supplementary grant for 2018-19 and 2019-20. Find out the details about this grant and learn how FSM are funded in special schools and for post-16 pupils.
- Funding for pupils with SEN Get to grips with how provision for pupils with special educational needs (SEN) is funded in your school.
- Funding in maintained schools Read our one-page summary of how maintained schools are funded, and your role in overseeing the financial performance of your school. Download a copy to share with your colleagues.
- How academies are funded: 2020 to 2021 Learn how academies are funded, including how the general annual grant (GAG) works and additional streams of funding available.
- How maintained schools are funded: 2020 to 2021 Understand how core funding is allocated in maintained schools. Be clear on other streams of funding including pupil premium, PE and sport premium, and universal infant free school meals.
- National funding formula: an overview Get an overview of what you need to know about the national funding formula (NFF), so you’re clear on how your school is funded.
- Primary PE and sport premium Understand how the PE and sport premium for primary schools is allocated and find out how your school can spend it.
- Pupil premium Save time by reading our summary of the pupil premium in just one page. Download a copy to share with your governing board.
- Pupil premium: eligible pupils Learn which categories of pupils are eligible for pupil premium funding, and find out more about each category. These include 'ever 6 FSM', 'looked after children' and 'service children'.
- Year 7 catch-up premium: cheat sheet Understand how the premium is allocated, what your school can use it for and how you’re held accountable for your spending.